Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth's population increased by about 6,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 97,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Great Yarmouth increased by 7.1%, from about 90,800 to 97,300.

The addition of almost 6,500 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Great Yarmouth was home to, on average, 4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Great Yarmouth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Great Yarmouth increased by two years, from 41 to 43 years.

This area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Great Yarmouth are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Great Yarmouth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Great Yarmouth working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15.4% to 10.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 14.7% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Great Yarmouth decreased by 4.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Great Yarmouth, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

Great Yarmouth saw Eastof England's second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, about 1 in 14 (7.1%) in Great Yarmouth said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 10.8% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 63.3% to 76.3%.

Across the region, only Norwich saw a greater fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 9.8% to 5.7%).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 7.6% to 4.7%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Great Yarmouth decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Great Yarmouth, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Great Yarmouth residents that were self-employed increased from 8.2% to 8.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (48.7%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 48.2% in 2001. The percentage of Great Yarmouth residents that were unemployed increased from 5.3% to 6.1%.

The proportion of self-employed people decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. The improvement brought health in Great Yarmouth close to the regional average 10.5% in Eastof England described their health as good in 2011).

The rate of self-employment was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Great Yarmouth

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Great Yarmouth was among those who said they had no religion, rising 14.6 points.

In 2011, 32.6% of respondents in Great Yarmouth gave this religion on the census compared with 18.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 65.8% said they were Christian, compared with 81.0% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.6% to 7.8%.

In Great Yarmouth, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.9% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Great Yarmouth increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Great Yarmouth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth saw Eastof England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30.9%) people aged 16 and over in Great Yarmouth said they were single, compared with 25.0% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 52.2% to 46.8%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield (from 30.5% to 38.7%) and Norwich (from 39.8% to 46.9%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.4% to 31.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

Great Yarmouth saw Eastof England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.4%) in Great Yarmouth reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.7% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.6%.

Across the region, only Tendring (from 2.8% to 3.5%) and King's Lynn and West Norfolk (from 2.5% to 3.3%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, as the regional average grew from 1.8% to 2.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Great Yarmouth remained close to 3.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Great Yarmouth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in considerably limiting disability

The percentage of Great Yarmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.9% to 5.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.2%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.7% in 2001. The percentage of Great Yarmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.8%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability in Great Yarmouth increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Great Yarmouth, Eastof England and England that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Great Yarmouth at a faster rate than in Broadland (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Great Yarmouth).

In Great Yarmouth, the proportion of private renting increased from 9.4% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Broadland increased from 6.8% to 10.4%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

The rate of social housing in Great Yarmouth fell from 18.0% to 17.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 69.8% to 64.3%.

Private renting in Great Yarmouth increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Great Yarmouth, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Great Yarmouth

In 2011, 96.9% of Great Yarmouth residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.6% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.9% to 90.4%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.2% of people in Great Yarmouth said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.5% in 2001. About 1.2% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.2% to 0.5%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Great Yarmouth decreased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Great Yarmouth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of one-person households fell in Great Yarmouth, while rising in North East Lincolnshire (one of the most statistically similar areas to Great Yarmouth based on ONS area classifications).

In Great Yarmouth, the proportion came down from 31.0% in 2001 to 29.9% in 2011, while across England it went up from 28.5% to 31.3%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 28.4%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Great Yarmouth increased from 9.2% to 11.3%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 35.2% to 31.2%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Great Yarmouth with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.1% to 9.9% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 27.5%, while the percentage of households in Great Yarmouth without children decreased from 63.4% to 62.5%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 9.3% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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